December 2003 edition

  "PETCOKE FIRING IN LIME RECOVERY KILNS BECOMES OPTION
  AS ENERGY COSTS RISE"

  KFS have collaborated with Phoenix Process Engineering (PPE), experts in the design
  of solid fuel handling systems, to provide some background to the growing interest in
  petroleum petcoke conversions for lime recovery kilns in the paper industry.  Richard
  Manning and Sam Cooper (KFS) and John Macfadyen (PPE) discuss the economic
  benefits of such a strategy as a response to rising natural gas and oil prices.

  With continuing pressure on pulp and paper prices, producers are looking for ways to
  contain burgeoning energy bills to remain competitive in difficult times.  A key opportunity
  is the possible fuel cost savings available through use of less expensive fuels such as
  petroleum coke (petcoke).

  Petcoke is a widely used fuel in the cement and pebble lime industries but has been
  slow to find favour in the paper industry due to lack of knowledge and perceived risks
  associated with the very "blackness" of the fuel.  The firing of petcoke in lime recovery
  kilns is not new however, and considering the potential benefits in fuel costs and energy
  savings, surprisingly few mills use it as their primary fuel source.

  This paper discusses engineering requirements, the technical and operational
  advantages and risks, and economic factors that should be considered when evaluating
  a petcoke conversion.